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The performance of dairy cows with access to self-feed silage offered concentrates from a free-access dispenser

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. S. Chalmers ,
F. R. Moisey  and
J. D. Leaver
J. S. Chalmers
Affiliation:
West of Scotland Agricultural College, Crichton Royal Farm, Dumfries DG1 4SZ
F. R. Moisey
Affiliation:
West of Scotland Agricultural College, Crichton Royal Farm, Dumfries DG1 4SZ
J. D. Leaver
Affiliation:
West of Scotland Agricultural College, Crichton Royal Farm, Dumfries DG1 4SZ
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Abstract

In two experiments cows with access to self-feed grass silage were offered concentrates either twice daily in the milking parlour at a fixed level (controls) or in addition given free-access to a concentrate dispenser sited in the self-feed area (dispenser). A time-lapse mechanism on the dispenser limited successive 1 kg feeds to a minimum of 10 min in experiment 1 and 5 min in experiment 2. The ‘dispenser’ cows had significantly greater total concentrate intakes than had the controls (10·4 v. 7·1 kg/day in experiment 1, 13·4 v. 7·3 kg/day in experiment 2), but there was a large variation in intake between individuals. Access to the dispenser increased milk yields only slightly, reduced milk fat concentration and increased milk protein concentration and live-weight gain. Following turnout to grass in the spring, there was evidence that the cows that had been on the dispenser treatment showed a faster rate of decline in milk yield than did the controls, and this was supported by lower lactation yields in the dispenser group.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 39 , Issue 1 , August 1984 , pp. 17 - 23
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1984

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References

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